Apache Trail Day Ride (AZ-88) from Phoenix

Apr 22, 2026

What if you could ride from the edge of Phoenix into the middle of the Superstition Mountains, stop for a beer at a saloon with six residents and saddles for bar stools, and be back before dinner? That's the Apache Trail. AZ-88 runs about 18 miles from Apache Junction to Tortilla Flat on fresh pavement, then turns to dirt for another 26 miles to Roosevelt Dam. Your bike decides which half you ride, and this guide is built around that decision point.

Is the Apache Trail a Good Motorcycle Ride?

The Apache Trail (AZ-88) is one of the best motorcycle day rides from Phoenix, and it's doable year-round thanks to Arizona's mild winter climate. The route has enough variety to keep things interesting for any experience level, with everything from easy cruising near Canyon Lake to technical dirt on Fish Creek Hill, all within about 35 miles of downtown Phoenix.

AZ-88 Motorcycle Route Overview

The ride splits cleanly into two halves at Tortilla Flat, and they feel like two completely different roads. The paved half is well-maintained asphalt with guardrails and pullouts, while the dirt half is steep, narrow, and changes with every rainstorm.

Paved Section (Apache Junction to Tortilla Flat)

• Route Map
• Distance: 18 miles one way from Apache Junction
• Surface: Recently resurfaced two-lane asphalt with guardrails and rumble strips
• Works for: Any street-legal motorcycle
• Key stops: Goldfield Ghost Town, Canyon Lake overlook, Canyon Lake Marina, Tortilla Flat
• Difficulty: Moderate, with 10-20 mph advisories on the tighter bends

Dirt Section (Tortilla Flat to Roosevelt Dam)

• Route Map
• Distance: 26 miles one way, starting where the pavement ends at Tortilla Flat
• Surface: Unpaved. Loose gravel, washboard, steep grades, one-lane bridges.
• Works for: ADV and dual-sport motorcycles only
• Key stops: Fish Creek Hill overlook, Apache Lake, Roosevelt Dam
• Difficulty: Challenging. Fish Creek Hill has tight turns cut into cliff faces with limited guardrails and blind corners.

How Far Is the Apache Trail from Phoenix?

The Apache Junction motorcycle ride starts about 35 miles east of downtown Phoenix. That's a 40-to-50-minute ride on US-60, and once you exit at Idaho Road and head north, the strip malls and housing developments thin out fast. By the time Idaho Road turns into AZ-88 and bends northeast, the Superstition Mountains are right in front of you and you're on the trail.

Getting to the Trailhead

• Take US-60 East toward Mesa and Apache Junction
• Exit at Idaho Road (Exit 196) and head north
• Idaho Road becomes AZ-88 (Apache Trail) as it bends northeast into the mountains

One thing to take care of before you leave town: fill your tank in Apache Junction. Gas stations disappear the second you're on AZ-88. The next reliable fuel is Canyon Lake Marina, about 15 miles in, and there's nothing at all between the marina and Tortilla Flat.

How Long Is the Apache Trail Motorcycle Ride from Phoenix?

Round trip from central Phoenix to Tortilla Flat and back is about 106 miles, so you're not committing to an all-day thing here. Most riders make a morning of it and are back in the Valley by early afternoon.

Time Estimates

• Paved round trip (to Tortilla Flat and back): 3 to 4 hours with stops
• Full route to Roosevelt Dam (one way): Add 2 to 3 hours for the dirt section
• Quick run, minimal stops: 2.5 hours round trip to Tortilla Flat

Best Time of Year

• October through April: 60s-80s, full hours at Tortilla Flat and Canyon Lake Marina
• May through September: 110°F+ is common. Start before 7 a.m. or skip it.
• Winter weekdays: Lightest traffic. Weekends pick up from late fall through spring.

What Type of Motorcycle Is Best for the Apache Trail?

For the paved section, don't overthink this. Any street-legal bike with decent tires will handle it without issue. The dirt section is a completely different story though, and showing up on sport tires over loose gravel is going to be a bad time.

What You Need for the Dirt Section

• Ground clearance for loose rock, ruts, and washboard
• Dirt-capable tires with 50/50 or more aggressive tread
• Low-speed balance for steep, slow turns on Fish Creek Hill
• Some experience riding on loose and unpredictable surfaces

If you're visiting Phoenix and want to ride the full route, look for an ADV or dual-sport motorcycle rental on Riders Share. Local owners tend to know the trail and can fill you in on current conditions when you pick up the bike.

Is AZ-88 Open for Motorcycles in 2026?

The paved section to Tortilla Flat is open year-round, but the dirt section was fully closed from 2019 through late 2024 after the Woodbury Fire and a massive flood wiped out the road near Fish Creek. As of early 2026, the full route is open again.

Current Status

• Paved section (to Tortilla Flat): Open year-round
• Fish Creek area (mileposts 222-227): Reopened September 2024, no current vehicle restrictions
• Apache Lake to Roosevelt Dam: Chip sealed and improved as of July 2025

NOTE: ADOT schedules midweek closures on the eastern section for maintenance, so check ahead on Arizona’s official traveller information tracker for updated AZ-88 road conditions. 

Goldfield Ghost Town, the Pre-Trail Detour Most Guides Skip

About five miles up AZ-88 from Apache Junction, you'll pass Goldfield Ghost Town on your right. Most Apache Trail guides skip it entirely, but it's a quick 30-to-45-minute stop with Superstition Mountain views from the hilltop and a real history behind it. Goldfield was an 1890s mining settlement that boomed and died when the gold veins faulted. The current structures were rebuilt in the 1980s, and it's been open for over 40 years.

Details

• Official website
• Address: 4650 N Mammoth Mine Rd, Apache Junction, AZ 85119
• Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Cost: Free to walk around (Mine tour, train ride, and exhibits are ticketed separately)

Things to Do

• Mammoth Gold Mine tour: 25 minutes underground
• Narrow gauge train ride: Arizona's only one, runs through the foothills
• Live gunfight reenactments: Hourly on weekends, noon to 4 p.m.
• Also on-site: saloon, museum, bakery, and boardwalk shops

Riding Through the Superstition Mountains

Past Goldfield and Lost Dutchman State Park, AZ-88 narrows to two lanes and you're into the Superstition Mountain motorcycle stretch that puts this route on every Arizona riding list. The road climbs through the Tonto National Forest with saguaro-lined ridges on both sides, and the rock formations shift from tan to rust to deep red the higher you get.

NOTE: Advisory speed signs drop to 10-15 mph on the sharper bends for a reason. Some of these corners tighten up as you get deeper into them, so if you go in too hot, the turn closes fast and there's not a lot of road left on the outside.

About the Road Surface

Older ride reports and forum threads describing rough, broken pavement on this section are outdated. ADOT completed a $6.5 million improvement project that resurfaced AZ-88 starting 3 miles northeast of Apache Junction and extending 7 miles past Tortilla Flat, with new raised pavement markers, rumble strips, curve geometry adjustments, and guardrail replacements.

Canyon Lake, the Visual Payoff of the Paved Section

About 15 miles from Apache Junction, AZ-88 drops toward Canyon Lake and the view opens up fast. If you've only seen desert up to this point, the reservoir between steep, layered rock walls is going to catch you off guard. It looks more like southern Utah than anything 45 minutes from downtown Phoenix, and this is the stretch that gives the Canyon Lake motorcycle ride its name.

Canyon Lake Marina (Last Reliable Stop Before Tortilla Flat)

Canyon Lake Marina is right at the lake, and it's the only stop between Apache Junction and Tortilla Flat with fuel, food, and supplies available. 

• Official website
• Address: 16802 AZ-88, Apache Junction, AZ
• Fuel: Fuel dock on-site
• Supplies: General store with snacks, water, and sundries
• Other: Dolly Steamboat runs 90-minute lake cruises

What Is Tortilla Flat and Is It Worth Stopping?

We've mentioned Tortilla Flat a lot up to this point, so here's what you're actually walking into: a former stagecoach stop with a population of six that's been operating since 1904. It's about 15 minutes end to end on foot, but between the saloon, the boardwalk, and the overall character of the place, most people end up staying closer to an hour.

The Superstition Saloon

The Superstition Saloon has been the main attraction in Tortilla Flat since its reopening under new ownership in 2019, and once you walk in, you'll get why people ride 18 miles of mountain road just to have a beer here.

• Official website
• Address: 1 Main St, Tortilla Flat, AZ 85190
• Hours: Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat-Sun 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Live music: Outdoor patio band daily, late December through Easter

What Else Is in Town

• Mercantile gift shop: Motorcycle gear, local artisan pieces, Arizona souvenirs
• General store: Water and snacks for the ride back
• One-room schoolhouse: Restored, with photos and artifacts from the original 1904 settlement

Where Does the Pavement End on the Apache Trail?

The pavement ends on the Apache Trail right at Tortilla Flat, roughly 18 miles from Apache Junction. From that point, AZ-88 turns to dirt for 26 miles to Roosevelt Dam, and your Tortilla Flat motorcycle stop doubles as your decision point for whether to keep going or turn back.

Street Bike Riders

If you're on anything with street tires, Tortilla Flat is where you turn around. The ride back gives you a completely different perspective on the same road. Afternoon light changes how the Superstition Mountains look westbound, and corners you leaned through on the way up feel different from the opposite direction.

ADV and Dual-Sport Riders

If you've got the right bike, the dirt between Tortilla Flat and Roosevelt Dam is unlike anything else you'll find this close to a major city. The route breakdown and road status sections above cover the specifics, but the short version is: expect Fish Creek Hill to be the hardest part, bring everything you need with you, and check Arizona’s traveller information website before you go.

Planning Your Day Around the Apache Trail

The Apache Trail works as a standalone half-day ride, or you can use it as the first leg of a bigger Phoenix motorcycle trip. If you're doing both, the timing works out well since you'll be back in Apache Junction by early afternoon with the rest of the day open.

Sample Morning Itinerary (Paved Section Only)

• 8:00 a.m: Leave Phoenix, fuel up in Apache Junction
• 8:45 a.m: Quick stop at Goldfield Ghost Town
• 9:30 a.m: Ride through the Superstition Mountains to Canyon Lake
• 10:00 a.m: Canyon Lake overlook and marina stop (top off fuel if needed)
• 10:45 a.m: Arrive Tortilla Flat, check out the saloon and boardwalk
• 12:00 p.m: Head back. You'll be in Apache Junction by early afternoon with time for a second ride or a late lunch in Mesa.

Pairing It with Another Route

If you finish AZ-88 by noon and want to keep riding, the Phoenix to Sedona route on 89A through Oak Creek Canyon is about two hours north and a completely different kind of road. It's a natural next-day addition if you're building a multi-day trip out of Phoenix.

Browse Phoenix Motorcycle Rentals on Riders Share

Ready to ride the Apache Trail? Pick from 140+ motorcycle rentals in Phoenix, including Harley-Davidsons, Indians, BMW GSs, and Honda Africa Twins from local owners. Need gear? Most listings offer helmets and equipment rentals so you can travel light and still ride prepared. Find your bike in Phoenix.

Join a Guided Motorcycle Tours in Phoenix

Not sure about planning the route yourself? Riders Share also offers 25+ guided motorcycle tours and experiences in Phoenix, led by local riders who already know the roads, the stops, and the current conditions on AZ-88. Check out available tours here.